Chairman Bevanda Meets Pope Francesco in Vatican

Pope Francesco received today in an audience Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Vjekoslav Bevanda, who is in an official visit to Vatican. 

Extremely good bilateral relations between the Holy See and Bosnia and Herzegovina were emphasised during the talks.

Chairamn Bevanda informed the Holy Father of the current political and economic developments in BIH, with a special emphasis to its way towards the European Integrations. He thanked to the Holy See for the support it gives to BIH, particularly to the Croatian people in BIH.

Pope Francesco said that he is very well informed of the activities of Chairman Bevnada and that in the future period a path of dialogue and compromise should be followed, which would finally provide a benefit to all peoples on BIH.

Chairman Bevanda talked with the Holy Father on the stalemate in the implementation of ratified Basic Agreement between the Holy See and BIH and Additional Protocol to the Basic Agreement from 2006. He noted that the Law on Religious Holidays, which is one among items of in the Basic Agreement, was in the procedure, but unfortunately, failed to receive necessary consent.

Discussion unfolded also on a fact that in BIH a population policy is being neglected against the background of its harmonisation with the demographic picture, which is vital for the sustainability of the Croatian, as well as other peoples in BIH.

Chairman Bevanda presented a gift to Pope Francesco - a replica of the Kočerin Plate, representing a tomb stone insignia at the necropolis in Lipovica, near Kočerin (Široki Brijeg), dating from 2014. The Kočerin plate is amongst longest and most important medieval stone insignia, written in ‘bosančica’ letter, and it lists all aristocrats and kings the deceased served to.

Pope Francisco presented a gift to Chairman Bevanda  - a bronze plate with image of St. Joseph.

After the meeting with Pope Francesco, Chairman Bevanda with his delegation met and discussed with the Secretary of State of the Holy See Mons. Pietro Parolino, who assumed the office a month ago.

This afternoon, Chairman Bevanda will visit the Papal Croatian Institute of St. Jeronimo and meet with Institute Dean Mons. Juro Bogdan.

The delegation accopmaying Chairman Bevanda was comprised of Minister of Justice of BIH Bariša Čolak and Minister for Human Rights and Refugees of BIH Damir Ljubić.

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(The Kočerin Plate text:

“In the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. amen. Here lies Viganj Milošević. He serves to ban Stipan and King Tvrtko and King Dabiša and Queen Gruba and Kind Ostoja. At that time, comes King Ostoja and fights King Ostoja with Herzeg and with Bosnia, and launches King Ostoja an attack against the Hungarians. At that time, me, Viganj, meet my destiny, and I lay here in my beautiful soil under Kočerin. So, please, do not judge on me. I was the same as you are now, and you will be the same as I am now”)